Good Heart
by DuchessRaven
Summary: A little piece of Gatomon's past that was erased from her memory. GatoMyo


AUTHOR'S NOTE: this was inspired by a line from a song. It said "don't waste your heart on me". if this story makes no sense, I'm sorry, I just wanted to write. Enjoy. Oh yeah, I don't' own anything, yadda yadda yadda  
  
GOOD HEART  
  
Dawn was near. The eastern mountains of Server were beginning to glow as she waited anxiously for her master's return.  
  
Every muscle on her body ached. She had put herself through rigorous training against during the night and her head was pounding from over exhaustion. Her nerves were raw and her calves were screaming with soreness. She could have gone away to rest and her master wouldn't have noticed, but she waited anyway, sitting by the window, a small ghost figure on top of the gigantic castle.  
  
She had always waited for him. Every day at dawn, waiting for her lord to return from the night's work. Not that he would have minded if she didn't. He hardly ever paid attention to her anyway besides ordering her to her duties every now and then. But somehow, just seeing him, if just for a second everyday, made her heart pound with delicious excitement.  
  
A shadow appeared in the distance and she perked up, hoping that he had arrived, but sat down again when it turned out to be an early bird. She sighed and began to pace back and forth on the windowsill, although it hurt her legs to do it. He was later than usual today and the sun was about to rise. Sunlight would hurt him and he knew that.  
  
Then why was he late? She wondered nervously. Could he have run into trouble? Did he meet up with the so-called digidestined earlier than planned?  
  
She stood up and pressed her paws against the glass, looking outside at the gaining light and prayed that he would arrive soon.  
  
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a slim figure appeared in the distance, levitating steadily in the air, accompanied by a flock of chittering shapes that could only be bats. Slowly, the figure approached the large window she was leaning against. She jumped onto the floor just a split second before the windows flew open, letting in a breeze of fresh morning air. The bats scattered as the figure landed inside the room. She bowed.  
  
"Was your trip pleasant, Lord Myotismon?"  
  
The tall digimon did not even bother to look at her. He brushed a lock of blond hair away from his face. His features were handsome and fair but very cold. There were rarely any expressions on it save for the occasional anger and frustration at his servants. She had never seen him smile. He probably didn't know how.  
  
"Conquering the world is not about pleasantness, Gatomon," her master said flatly. His voice was like his appearance-beautiful but chilling. "You used to know that."  
  
"I'm sorry, my lord," she said, a little nervous. "Was your trip successful?"  
  
The vampire lord took off his cape and tossed it carelessly aside. "Quite." He walked out of the room and headed to his chambers without another word.  
  
The small cat digimon followed him with her eyes. Just before he disappeared out of sight, she noticed that he favored his right leg slightly. Not many people would have noticed, but she did. He was hurt, and enough so that he actually had to limp just to the left, which was not something he did for small injuries. He always kept his posture straight, no matter what the wound, or pain. For him to limp visibly meant he could be in a great deal of pain.  
  
Sighing, she gathered up his cape and just held it for a moment. It was silky and soft to the touch. She bundled it up and pressed it to her, imaging that it was him she held in her arms, soothing his injuries and wishing the feeling would last forever.  
  
~*~  
  
Jump. Jump. Keep going. Keeping going...  
  
Although she knew well that she could do no more, she kept going, running though the obstacle course again and again, improving her speed and endurance. The target kept appearing over and over and she knocked each and every one down. She leaped over roots and vines, not stumbling a single step.  
  
Then the net. Agilely, she leaped onto it and began to climb. It was a good forty feet high and she had to dodge model missiles as she went up and down each side. Of course, she had done with too many times to be hit or slip. Quickly, she gained height and headed for the top.  
  
Suddenly, completely unexpected, something struck her side, painfully between two ribs. Shocked, she attempted to go higher but panic seized her and she stepped on air. She wasn't certain how far she fell, perhaps thirty- five feet. Thankfully, her instinct took over and her body turned in midair, landing firmly on her feet. Light cricks went through her joints as her paws smashed onto the ground. She yowled.  
  
"Ha ha ha ha ha!" a mischievous voice laughed. Angrily, Gatomon turned and looked up. Demidevimon was sitting atop a nearby tree, holding a launcher in his claws.  
  
"You little freak!" she shouted angrily. "You ambushed me!"  
  
The bat digimon cackled. "Serves you right," he said. "Somebody's bound to ambush you in battle. You gotta expect it, fur ball."  
  
"Why you little..." Glaring furiously, Gatomon charged up the tree, only to discover that she was too tired to pull herself a little more than half way up its trunk. Dejectedly, she slumped back onto the ground.  
  
Demidevimon hopped off the branch he was sitting on and flew in front of Gatomon. "You know, you try too hard," he said, "you're making the rest of us look bad."  
  
Gatomon sneered. "Rest of 'us', or just you?"  
  
"Same diff."  
  
Tiredly, she pulled herself to her feet. "Don't you have anything better to do than bother me?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, no. Don't you have anything better to do than torture yourself?"  
  
"It just happens that, unlike you, some of us have goals," Gatomon began to head toward the starting line again, with Demidevimon close behind. "I do this because I want to be powerful, and I want to digivolve to my next stage soon."  
  
Demdevimon rolled his eyes. "Yeah, like that'll happen." Before he could dodge, Gatomon's claws left three deep marks in his face. "OW!"  
  
"I'm close," Gatomon said and kept walking. "I can feel it. I'm getting closer everyday. I just have to work harder to break that barrier. Now why don't you go back and fix breakfast before the master comes back? Or will he have to punish you AGAIN?"  
  
"Touche," Demidevimon mumbled as he flew back to the castle. Gatomon didn't bother herself to see which way he went. She was preparing to run through the obstacle course again.  
  
"On your mark," she whispered, "get set..."  
  
"Gatomon?"  
  
She stopped in mid-step and looked toward the sound of the voice. A petite figure wearing a tall pointy hat stepped out of the shadows.  
  
"Wizardmon? What are you doing here?" She turned back to the course. "Don't bother me now, I need to go through the obstacles again."  
  
"He's right, you know." Wizardmon said quietly.  
  
Gatomon glared at him. "What?"  
  
"You push yourself too hard. You're going to get hurt before the real battle comes."  
  
"If I am still in this stage when the battle comes, I won't do any good anyway. Now go away."  
  
Wizardmon didn't move. "What are you trying to prove?"  
  
Gatomon froze. "I'm not trying to prove anything," she said stiffly. "I'm just trying to be stronger. I want to do more."  
  
"More for whom? We're slaves, Gatomon, we serve when we're forced to."  
  
"I'm not a slave!" Gatomon shouted, a little surprised herself by the outburst. "I want to serve him." Her voice dropped. "I want to be strong for him..."  
  
Wizardmon stared at her and suddenly she felt ashamed. She had never told anyone about her feelings, never thought it was anyone's business, but the way he was looking at her... she just couldn't help it.  
  
"Gatomon..."  
  
"Please go away," she whispered, avoiding his gaze.  
  
"You can't..."  
  
"Well I do!" she cried. "I don't know how. I can't help the way I feel!"  
  
"You know he will never accept this." Wizardmon said calmly. "I know. You're trying to be better for him, aren't you? You want to digivolve so that he would notice you and maybe even feel the same way you do about him. But you do know who he is, and you know that where the rest of us have a heart, he has a black hole."  
  
"Don't say that!" Gatomon felt the tears stinging her eyes and criticized herself for been weak. In a swift motion, she turned from Wizardmon and began to walk away.  
  
He caught up to her. "Gatomon, please..."  
  
"Go away."  
  
"I don't want you to get hurt."  
  
"What do you care?" She snapped. He backed away, stunned. "You're just another one of his pawns, aren't you? So what do you care what happens to me? Do yourself a favor and mind your own business, Wizardmon. What I do is my choice."  
  
She walked away from him without turning around, dimly aware that he wasn't following anymore.  
  
~*~  
  
Another morning arrived.  
  
Like always, she sat by the window and waited for her master's return anxiously. She had trained all night again. A drop of dried blood hung by her lip, a sign that she had worked too hard indeed, but even after she had spat out that drop of blood plus a lot more, she kept going. She body was fatigued but she felt stronger than ever.  
  
Soon, beloved, she thought, soon.  
  
The sun climbed lazily up the Server skies and still no sign of her master. When the first ray of sunlight entered the room, she began to worry. Back and forth she paced, standing up every now and then to look out the window but was disappointed each time.  
  
At last, she could wait no more. The sun was high in the sky and if he were indeed in sunlight at the moment, a few more hours would damage him severely. Determined, she headed down the castle stairs.  
  
When she passed the library, she peeked in and was relieve to find Demidevimon snoozing on a chair. Quietly, she slipped past him and toward the door.  
  
"Where are you going?" She whirled around toward the voice in alarm and saw Wizardmon standing there.  
  
"Out."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"The master still isn't back. I'm going to go look for him." She started to leave.  
  
"Gatomon, wait." A hand laid on her shoulder. "It's dangerous out there. The digimon in the forest know we work for Myotismon, and if they attack you're in no shape to fend them off."  
  
"Which is all the more reason to go look for him. He could be in trouble."  
  
"He's an ultimate. You're a champion. Even if he was, you couldn't help him."  
  
A flair suddenly lit in Gatomon's eyes. She pushed Wizardmon aside hard. "Didn't I tell you to mind your own business?"  
  
"I'm just trying to help."  
  
"I don't need your help." She headed out the door. "I will find him."  
  
Wizardmon didn't stop her this time. "You're in denial."  
  
He expected her to turn around and attack him for the comment, but she didn't. Instead, she stopped walked and simply stood there with her back to him.  
  
"Yes," she said. "I am in denial. I'm denying the fact that he will never love me, but you know what? I don't care. You don't know what's like, Wizardmon. You don't know what it's like to love someone knowing that they will probably be oblivious to you forever."  
  
With a single bound, she disappeared outside the castle. Wizardmon stood in his place for a long time. Finally, he sighed.  
  
"Yes, I do, Gatomon," he said. "I do."  
  
~*~  
  
All through the morning she searched the forests of Server for her master, and did encounter a few digimon that might have given her trouble, but was able to avoid detection. Often, she looked up at the sky, hoping to see her master cruising by. If he had been within a quarter of a mile above she, she would have sensed him; it was just something she had learned how to do.  
  
No luck.  
  
Exhausted and sick from the hot sun, Gatomon rested at last, panting and wheezing as she collapsed onto the ground. Her heart was pounding in her ears and the panic in her mind was gaining by the second. She still hadn't found him. Repeatedly, she asked herself what to do and came up with no answers.  
  
A sound.  
  
It wasn't precisely a sound, but more of a tingle at her senses. Her ears perked up as she looked around quickly, searching for the source. A spark of hope came to her as she spotted the figure underneath a tall pine. It was sitting up against the trunk and from the posture, looking up at the sky. Carefully, Gatomon approached it, preparing to run away if it turned out to be a trap.  
  
It was her master. He was sitting against the tree with his legs drawn up and his arms resting on top of his knees, a gentlemanly posture as always. His head was tilted up and she could see sweat drops sliding down his closed eyelids. This alarmed her. He was in a trance, one that he only went into to conserve energy at crucial times. He looked as if he was sleeping, or merely resting, but the truth was his body was undertaking great strain in the sun.  
  
She poked him lightly. "Master?" He didn't move. "Master, please." No response. The trance was deeper than she had expected, which was not a good thing. She circled him and noticed the small rip on his right pant leg. The skin inside was torn. It was a small wound but very deep. That was what had hurt him so badly a couple of night ago. Gatomon studied it and wondered why it had not healed yet.  
  
Something rustled behind her. She jerked her head around but saw nothing but bushes. Alarmed, she returned to examining the wound, wearier than ever.  
  
Another rustle.  
  
This time Gatomon was certain that she was no longer alone. She leaped in front of her master and held a battle pose, knowing well that if the newcomer wanted to fight, she was likely no match.  
  
"Who's there?" she called.  
  
More rustling, this time from two different places. Gatomon looked to one side, then the other, and realized that she was outnumbered.  
  
"Whoever you are, get out of here!" she shouted, but if that ever worked, there would be no wars in history. The rustling stopped for a moment, as if surprised by her, then started again, closer by.  
  
The first figure stepped out of the bushed. It was a Gotsumon with glaring yellow eyes. In one of its hands, it held a thick stick. Following it were two Gazimon, each with weapons. Then five Crabmon crawled out, wielding their claws high. Gatomon swallowed.  
  
"What do you want?" her voice was a little shaky.  
  
"Get out of the way," one of the Gazimon said. "Or we'll be forced to hurt you."  
  
Gatomon growled.  
  
"We have nothing against you," a Crabmon said, "yet. But if you don't step aside..."  
  
"Go crawl into a hole, rookie."  
  
"We just want to the vampire," the leading Gotsumon said calmly. "He's weak in the sun and we're going to pay him back for what he did to our homes."  
  
"What makes you think that will happen?"  
  
The Gotsumon gestured at the wound on her master's leg. "That's a Flymon sting. He'll be out of it for while. We're going to..."  
  
Gatomon took a threatening step forward. "Kill him? You wish. You'll have to go through me first, rookie."  
  
A Gazimon through the stick in his hand directly at her. Hissing, she leaped up and snatched it right out of the air in her jaws. With a growl, she snapped it in two. "Is that all you got?"  
  
In a second they were on her and she was suddenly glad that she was in champion level. The rookie digimon were ferocious in their determination, but she was able to hold them off at a certain distance from her master. Barely.  
  
A Crabmon slashed at her side and she wasn't able to dodge in time. A deep gash appeared just above her thigh and she grimaced in pain. It was not the first wound she had received and she knew it would not be the last before this was over. The ground was spattered with blood, some of her own and some from the other digimon.  
  
But even though, she was outnumbered and overworked. Soon, every muscle in her body screamed in pain and the other digimon simply kept coming. There were two Crabmon lying asleep on the ground from her hypnosis but she was too tired to use the same trick on the rest of them. Slowly, they gained distance toward her master and panic took over.  
  
Something above her.  
  
She looked up just in time to see Gotsumon's stick come crashing down on her. She moved to one side but not enough. It struck the side of her face hard enough for stars to leap about her vision. Gatomon staggered, and went down.  
  
The rookies backed off from her as she laid stunned on the ground, dimly aware of the bleeding from the wound on her side. Her opponents were no longer interested in her, she knew, because they were never interested in her in the first place. She was on her side, and could see the sky with one of her eyes. The sun was approaching high noon, which meant the shadow which currently protecting her master would be gone soon. And then what?  
  
She didn't want to think about it.  
  
The other digimon had gone away from her, toward her master. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Gotsumon raise his weapon.  
  
"No..." she mumbled and attempted to get up. One of her feet slipped and she went back down, falling into the dirt once again. She strained harder, no success.  
  
The stick in Gotsumon's hand went up higher and she saw that one of its ends was sharpened to a point. Her vision reddened as slick blood dripped in front of her eyes.  
  
"No..." she whispered. "No!"  
  
The stick came down.  
  
All at once it felt like all the energy of the sun shot into her. It hurt. Gatomon felt strength flood back into her. So much heat filled her limps. Light poured out all around her. Her body expanded, grew, and she opened her eyes in triumph.  
  
The Gotsumon stopped in mid-attack and looked at her in horror. Why, she didn't know. All she was aware of was that she was suddenly powerful, stronger than she had even been. Her body was different, larger but lighter, because she was levitating off the ground.  
  
There was a bow in her hand. She didn't know how it got there or why, but she knew how to use it. Slowly, with one slightly shaking hand, she raised it and aimed it directly at the stunned rookies below.  
  
"Run," she said.  
  
They did. But they didn't get far.  
  
The sun was directly above her and the shadows were disappearing. Gatomon had no idea what happen to her but she did know that it was not going to last long. She last a regretful look at her beloved master. He was still there, sitting in the shade as if not a care in the world. The shade was about to go, which meant his time was limited.  
  
Gradually, she went to him and knelt down by his side. With one hand-yes, hand, she hasn't figured out how she got it yet but at the moment she didn't care-she touched his face, tracing the tender lines with her slender fingers. His skin was fair and firm to the touch. Even in his current condition, there was not a hint of relaxation in his features. He was stern was always.  
  
The sun was getting closer and time was short.  
  
She settled herself against the trunk of the tree and wrapped one arm around her master. The heat was getting unbearable but at the moment, next to him, everything seemed tolerable. She rested her head on his chest and simply let the sun come to both of them.  
  
"I'm sorry, master," she whispered just before blacking out, "I've failed you."  
  
~*~  
  
Water.  
  
Her eyes opened.  
  
She was not dead.  
  
There was water somewhere. The sound of rain was all around her but she could see no rain. In fact, she could see nothing. Something was shielding her.  
  
And her master. He was still here in her arms and he was breathing easier.  
  
Carefully, she raised one hand to touch the mysterious shield. It was just in front of her. Her fingers came in contact with something soft and slick with rain.  
  
Feathers?  
  
She turned onto her back gently and the shield lifted. It was drizzling in the Server forest, perhaps later afternoon. And the shield, a thick layer of feathers, originated from...  
  
Her?  
  
Wings. She had wings, and in her unconsciousness, her wings had blocked the boiling sun from both her and her master. She sat up and studied herself. She was no longer a cat, but a humanoid, and she was no longer looked up at her master, but on eye level with him. He looked more handsome than ever, wet and vulnerable in her arms. Her body was slim and shapely, dressed in a white silky costume. There was a mask over the top half of her face and below...  
  
She tasted blood. Her own. She touched her chin and felt a dried trail all the way down to her neck. She had bled in her sleep, more than she had from all those training nights. She caught some rain water with her hands and cleaned her face off.  
  
A long pink sash hung off her shoulder. She removed it and bandaged the wound on her master's leg. Then she leaned in and kissed the corner of his lips.  
  
"I'm an ultimate, master," she said. "At last, I am worthy of you."  
  
~*~  
  
No one saw her bring Myotismon back into the castle. The radiating light from her body was somehow able to keep meddlesome slaves away. She let him rest in his coffin and went to her quarters.  
  
From the small mirror, she was able to at last see her ultimate form. She was a young female humanoid. Her hair was long and blond and she had four pairs of snow-white wings. She cleaned herself and ran a hand through her hair. She was beautiful, there was no denying it, and she had a name.  
  
"Angewomon," she said to herself.  
  
The white costume she wore covered her whole body. It was modest and easy fitting but something in her decided it would not do. Her master lay in the room above her and when he woke, she wanted him to see her new body, one that he would love.  
  
One that he would spend eternity with.  
  
Gently, she torn off one of the legs from the costume, then an arm, and bits and pieces from the torso, exposing her smooth pale skin to the chilly castle air. It felt good.  
  
Myotismon woke.  
  
He wasn't sure how long he had been out, and some part of his mind remembered the forest. He was wounded, and hot.  
  
The sting on his leg wasn't hurting anymore. He sat up gently and felt not dirty but silk underneath his body. He was back in his castle, in his own coffin.  
  
And there was silk wrapped over his wound.  
  
Myotismon gazed around. He felt confusion, and also alarm. None of his slaves was strong enough to bring him back this far. So...  
  
"Master?"  
  
He turned to the voice. A figure stood at the door. It was unrecognizable but the voice had a familiarity to it.  
  
"Who are you?" He stepped out of his coffin and stood at his full height facing the figure.  
  
"Are you well, master?" the speaker was timid and docile.  
  
"Come closer."  
  
The figures stepped into the room. It was a young woman in a white costume, about his height, slim and gentle. She approached him and knelt at his feet. He saw that she had wings. She was an angle digimon.  
  
"My lord, it's me," she said.  
  
He studied her for a long time. "Gatomon."  
  
"Yes." She stood with her hands clasped at waist level. Her cloth was rather revealing, enough so that she was almost naked on the right side.  
  
"You digivolved," he stated flatly.  
  
"Yes, my lord," she said softly. "When you did not return in the morning, I went searching for you. And.. and there were attackers. I had to digivolve to protect you."  
  
He looked at her for a long time. She tried not to squirm under his glare. "Very well," he said at last. "Perhaps your new-found powers will be of use later." He began to walk past her without another word.  
  
She touched his arm. "My lord, wait." Her master gave her a hard, impatient look. "I have another reason for digivolving."  
  
"And why should that interest me?" he asked. The expression on his face was slightly annoyed. "Angewomon?"  
  
Hearing him speak her name sparked hope. She stepped close to him, face to face. "I did it for you, my lord," she said. "I had never confessed before, but I must now. It's all for you, Lord Myotismon, all for you." She threw her arms around him and pressed her lips to his.  
  
It felt like fireworks.  
  
Like a dream come true.  
  
Until she felt his hands grip her arms painfully and throw her back hard into the coffin.  
  
~*~  
  
Her shoulder struck the edge of the box and a bolt of pain shot right up to her head. Spots filled her eyes and when they cleared she saw her master staring down at her with anger.  
  
"You will await punishment for your insolence," he said icily and began to walk away.  
  
Anguish overwhelmed her and tears flowed uncontrollably out of her. "Stop!" she shouted.  
  
Myotismon turned and gave her a glare that could cut glass.  
  
"Why won't you accept me?" she cried. "I've done everything for you! I train for you, suffer for you, push myself for you! I saved your life today, didn't you know that?"  
  
His silence made her nervous but she didn't care.  
  
"I never thought I was worthy of you before," she went on, "but now I am an ultimate, and a humanoid. Why won't you care for me? I love you, can't you at least let me love you? Don't you care about anything besides your stupid world domination?" A sob escaped her. "Can't you at least say 'thank you'?"  
  
Neither of them spoke for several minutes. She was afraid to look at him, fearing what he would do to her.  
  
A hand touched her chin. Slowly, her face was lifted up and she saw that he was just inches from her, gazing into her soul with those steel blue eyes.  
  
"I will tell you this once, Gatomon," he said, and she felt as if he wasn't talking to her, but to a meek little spirit inside. "I am a virus, I do not love. That cannot be changed. You're a vaccine, Gatomon, that means you have a kind spirit inside, capable of feelings, something that I will never have and do not want. You have a good heart, Gatomon." He straightened up and walked away. "Don't waste it on me."  
  
She watched him go. Before leaving the room, he cast one last look at her. And then, Myotismon, the cruel vampire lord, the one she bowed to all those years, the ruthless ruler without feelings or expression, smiled at her. 


End file.
